If you’re searching for an inexpensive and entertaining family activity this weekend, look up. Way up.

The Great Lakes Association of Astronomy Clubs presents two days of stargazing at its 19th Annual Kensington Astronomy at the Beach, 6 p.m.-midnight, Friday-Saturday, Sept. 25-26, at Maple Beach in Kensington Metropark, Milford.

Then, on Sunday, Sept. 27, some of the Association’s member clubs will gather to view the lunar eclipse of the “super moon.” Ford Amateur Astronomers will meet at 7 p.m. at Island Lake State Park in Brighton. The Student Astronomical Society will view the moon from the Thompson Street Parking structure in Ann Arbor and University Lowbrow Astronomers will set up telescopes at 7:30 p.m. at County Farm Park in Ann Arbor.

“I’ve heard this full moon will be 14 percent closer to earth. That doesn’t necessarily translate into 14 percent brighter or bigger. It will be a slightly closer moon. If you haven’t looked at the moon every night, you might not notice,” said Joe Velez of South Lyon, a computer administrator at the University of Michigan Health System, who participates with his wife, Shannon Murphy, in several astronomy clubs. Murphy manages the U-M Astronomy Department’s website and social media, along with its observatory and planetarium.

“The moment where the moon will be covered with as much of the earth’s shadow as it’s going to get will be around 10:45 p.m. and at that point...the moon will turn red,” Velez said. “One of the tricks I like to do when the eclipse starts — it will be at 8:30 p.m. — is to take a quick cell phone picture of my backyard and then take another from the same spot later. You can tell the difference in the lighting.”

Velez said no equipment is needed to enjoy the lunar eclipse Sunday-Monday, although some backyard astronomers use binoculars or telescopes.

“Looking at the full moon, people can do it whenever they want and be perfectly safe,” Velez said. “During the (Kensington) event, we’ll have solar viewing telescopes with solar filters.”

Weekend event

The 19th annual Astronomy at the Beach will include both daylight activities and after-dark presentations, including a Children’s Sky Tour Treasure Hunt.

Mike Broughton, an interpretive naturalist at the park, said the event has drawn thousands of participants over two nights in previous years, depending on the weather. Some just want the opportunity to look through a telescope.

“A couple of years ago we had the editor-in-chief of Astronomy magazine as a guest. He said this was the best astronomy event for the general public. That was a great compliment,” Broughton said.

Safe solar viewing kicks off the program at 6 p.m. and will continue to sunset both event days. Michigan Science Center’s portable planetarium will open at 6:20 p.m. and will take visitors on a tour of constellations every 20 minutes until 10 p.m.

Broughton will demonstrate comet-making from dry ice and household ingredients at 6:15 p.m., and then lead an interactive story, the “Rescue of Andromeda,” selecting children from the audience to star in various roles.

“The kids will act out the rescue and I narrate the story,” said Broughton, noting that all of the “fall constellations,” such as Andromeda, Perseus, and Cassiopeia will be visible in the night sky.

Binary star

During the treasure hunt, youngsters will look for objects such as a nebula or stars.

“One thing that can be seen on the treasure hunt is a binary star — two stars close together,” said Broughton, adding that a binary star is visible in the handle of the Big Dipper. “It was used as an eye test for the Roman Army. If you could see two stars, you were good enough for the Roman Army.”

Velez will give one of the four presentations scheduled for the evening. He’ll talk about light pollution and why it’s making it harder to see stars and other astronomical objects.

“How does any given city turn on lights? They do so with taxpayer dollars. You are paying for the city to take away your own sky. But you aren’t powerless,” Velez said. He’ll give advice on reversing the trend.

Vendors will be on hand with displays and astronomy products for purchase. Many telescopes will be set up to view the night sky.

Astronomy at the Beach is free, although a vehicle pass is required to enter Kensington Metropark. Or a daily pass is available at the park entrance for $7.

For a complete list of Astronomy at the Beach activities, visit glaac.org.